Cost of Living Comparison Between Denton, TX and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Denton, TX and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,340 in Denton, TX versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,482 in Denton, TX versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,625 in Denton, TX versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Denton, TX is roughly 81% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Denton, TX is 70% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.92 $16.92

$11.71 MX$199

44.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 $75.2

$46.59 MX$792

61.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.61 $11.61

$11.65 MX$198

-0.34%

Cappuccino

$4.98 $4.98

$4.09 MX$69.6

21.76%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.37 MX$23.35

89.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.83 MX$14.17

83.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 $6.41

$3.35 MX$57.0

91.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 $7.07

$6.91 MX$117

2.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.73 MX$29.35

-57.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.26 MX$38.41

25.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.77 MX$30.07

110.17%

Eggs

$3.09 $3.09

$2.73 MX$46.43

13.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 $10.61

$9.18 MX$156

15.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.53 $13.53

$8.92 MX$152

51.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 $15.61

$12.60 MX$214

23.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$3.02 MX$51.3

51.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.57 MX$26.69

3.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.13 MX$36.12

66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$2.26 MX$38.48

107.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.00 MX$34.05

29.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.06 MX$35.08

57.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.18 MX$20.05

45.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.20 MX$20.46

121.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.11 $10.11

$4.63 MX$78.8

118.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.83 $12.83

$10.69 MX$182

20.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.62 MX$27.52

41.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 $4.18

$2.88 MX$48.96

45.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.57 MX$9.74

156.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.06 $47.06

$29.83 MX$507

57.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$5.45 MX$92.6

-46.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 $1.44

$3.70 MX$63.0

-61.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.01 $28.01

$5.98 MX$102

368.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.55 MX$26.40

-41.94%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.1K $27.1K

$22.3K MX$379.4K

21.45%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.5K $24.5K

$25.9K MX$441.0K

-5.43%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$246 $246

$89.1 MX$1,515

175.53%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$25.04 MX$426

169.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.5 $78.5

$31.50 MX$535

149.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.58 $30.58

$67.8 MX$1,152

-54.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.11 $32.11

$28.92 MX$491

11.03%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$5.05 MX$85.8

191.29%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,232 $1,232

$225 MX$3,823

447.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K $16.3K

$4,222 MX$71.8K

286.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 $53.9

$47.44 MX$806

13.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 $50.6

$44.98 MX$764

12.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 $97.1

$82.0 MX$1,393

18.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$92.1 MX$1,565

43.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,270 $1,270

$1,069 MX$18.2K

18.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$975 $975

$405 MX$6,888

140.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,127 $2,127

$1,935 MX$32.9K

9.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 $1,834

$1,301 MX$22.1K

40.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,331 $4,331

$3,995 MX$67.9K

8.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,182 $2,182

$6,626 MX$112.6K

-67.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,795 $3,795

$749 MX$12.7K

406.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

11.45

-46.11%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Denton, TX: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,270 in Denton, TX and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Denton, TX pays 407% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $75.0 in Denton, TX vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $277 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Denton, TX vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 81% lower than in Denton, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 407% higher in Denton, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,270 in Denton, TX versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Denton, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $75.0 in Denton, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,340 in Denton, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Denton, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,293 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Denton, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.